But there are no whales here

★★★ out of ★★★★

The Whale (2022)

Runtime: 117 minutes

MPAA: Rated R for language, some drug use and sexual content.

Man, what a tortured path Brendan Fraser has gone through.

From the star of The Mummy, Encino Man, or George of the Jungle, he was one of the biggest entertainers that dominated theatres from the 1990s to 2000s. Then, in 2003, he was a victim of sexual assault by Philip Berk, a former HFPA President. Because he spoke what was right, Fraser would eventually be blacklisted by Hollywood. With additional injuries sustained from The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, his appearance in Hair Brained in 2014 marked the final time he made it to the big screen.

Plagued with family issues, financial issues, and career issues, it was really an unfortunate and sad fall from fame that also caused Fraser to battle with depression. In 2021, director Darren Aronofsky, who had spent roughly 10 years finding the perfect actor to play the main character in yet another intense psychological drama, picked Fraser to play the main lead. It might have seemed unlikely that he could pull off this tricky feat, but what he has done here is so fascinating. He shows a wide variety of dramatic range and emotion and puts in so much effort to the point where I couldn't remember him as "The Mummy" star.

As for the film itself, it almost catches up with Fraser's insane dedication to the role. Writer Samuel D. Hunter, adapting his play to the big screen, has some trouble overcoming the lack of focus and theatrical interactions that make The Whale initially quite rocky. It is quite evident that interactions between side characters do go for a tad too long and detract the film's intentions. However, as we plunge into Fraser's character, the story becomes more absorbing and deeply emotional as pieces of the story slowly add up together, creating an almost perfect synergy... right until the wild ending.

The Whale, shot in a confined 1.33:1 ratio, takes place mostly in an apartment. We see Charlie (Brendan Fraser) teaching English online to a group of college students. When the class finishes, he enjoys himself to a video on the computer of men kissing, until he suffers a seizure, in which he attempts to read out an essay about Moby Dick. In what may initially seem like a convenience, a missionary named Thomas (Ty Simpkins) knocks on his door and saves Charlie by reading the essay.

Are we supposed to marvel at the make-up Fraser had to go through for 6 hours every shooting day? That's initially a question raised when The Whale showcases Fraser in a 300-pound prosthetic 'fat suit', one that reportedly caused his body temperature to shoot up very high, and in-between rests would usually take several minutes or the actors would be called off for lunch. We see the mountain of a man rising from the couch, hanging on to the crutches and walking to the toilet to bathe.

Another character, Liz (Hong Chau), who is Charlie's only friend and nurse, visits him and diagnoses him with congestive heart failure. There is a montage where he googles the disease, checks his 238/134 blood pressure, and relentlessly eats snacks in a drawer below the counter. He also indulges in nightly pizza orders, and has an interaction with the pizza delivery man Dan (Sathya Sridharan), without meeting him face-to-face.

With Charlie knowing that he will meet his demise in a few days, he attempts to reconnect with his daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink), whom he has not met since she was 8. We also get some exposition just when the movie is about to raise questions about the plot. Charlie has sentenced himself by eating to death as a result of grief due the death of his lover, Alan, who committed suicide because of religious-related issues.

This also brings us to a later sequence where he goes on a food rampage, devouring numerous slices of pizza, snacks from the countertop and bits from the fridge, before eventually vomiting (the score also enhances this uncomfortable feeling). The Whale has received controversy for apparently perpetuating and shaming fat people and their tendencies. However, the real intent of Aronofsky is not to emphasise on obesity or binge-eating, but to highlight addiction, just like Jennifer Connelly in Requiem for a Dream. This time it so happens to be a 600-pound man.

Does The Whale ultimately mock fat people? The Whale is about the duality of individuals, and no character is presented as purely good or purely bad. If The Whale instead glorified fat people, wouldn't it be one-sided? Liz is a caring friend who also carries guilt for supporting Charlie in his food addiction, for example by carrying a bucket of fried chicken for him. Thomas is a preacher who wants to save Charlie with faith, but also has a troubled background and severed family ties. Ellie is angry and vengeful, but we understand her pain because of her father's abandonment at a very young age.

When Charlie's ex-wife, Mary (Samantha Morton) visits, The Whale is dangerously close to tapping into melodrama. There are heightened screams and speeches, and we do learn of Charlie's bank account reserved for his daughter, but it calms down when Charlie and Mary have an actual conversation. Fraser is also nothing short of exceptional in this scene, and his delivery of one line is memorable and heartbreaking at once. In some way, we emphatise with his pain: a sweet, positive and compassionate man who is filled with regret and guilt because of a past mistake he's truly sorry for.

Charlie's positive attitude also makes him push for honesty, bringing out the best of everyone. When the final half of The Whale works best, it's about Charlie urging to reconcile his daughter, on a road to redemption, despite his increasing martyrdom. Everyone gives in their all for their characters, and plot pieces sufficiently tie up for a revelation that Charlie summarises, "Do you ever get the feeling that people are incapable of not caring?"

Charlie sees Ellie for who she is: a person that cares for other people. However, a simple conclusion also leads to a pat and unusual ending. On paper, he's liberated of the guilt for leaving his family after mustering the courage to admit his mistake, and to amend it. However, on execution, he floats, then stands at a beach, and it abruptly ends. In addition, what metaphorical meaning of the essay of Moby Dick is significant to Charlie that I'm not getting?

Make no mistake: The Whale is no great movie. It occasionally taps into melodrama, and a few elements seem quite unclear. Still, it's worth checking out for the reintroduction of our childhood entertainer, and how he can prove to be a terrific actor. When The Whale premiered in the Venice Film Festival last year, a 6-minute standing ovation caused Fraser to break down in tears. People truly are amazing.

The Whale won 2 Academy Awards.